With the Islanders riding a three-game overtime win streak, if you were expecting a back-to-earth reality check against the league-leading Avalanche in Colorado, that’s not exactly what they received.

Though the Isles lost, 4-1, the game was close until the end — an empty netter plus a garbage-time deflection goal by Brock Nelson inflated the score — and Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood’s saves, particularly agains the Isles power play, were major factors.

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The Isles exited with zero points, and their only goal was off a fortunate skate deflection (Emil Heineman), but also…they kind of hung right there with a team that’s now won six in a row and has points in 10 straight?

Patrick Roy called it their best performance of the previously 4-0 road trip and he’s arguably not wrong. This is going to be an interesting team to follow as it evolves this year.

[NHL Gamecenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick | HockeyViz]

Brock Reunion, Part 1

Miss you, Brock, and wish you well. “It’ll be funny lining up against some of the guys I grew up with.”

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MSG had some fun bits with him before the game, including getting him to suspect J-G Pageau would be the first to chirp him. And then the next clip is his full pre-game, where he admitted it takes a bit for him to realize Isles highlights with #29 are now Jonathan Drouin, not him.

And Avs rights holder Altitude also got some sentiments about facing his old mates:

Where will these teams be when Brock returns to Long Island with the Avs later this season?

Speaking of Drouin though:

Other Notes

Scott Mayfield (attending childbirth) and Max Shabanov (injury) each returned to the lineup. Shabanov looked active and was on PP2.

Speaking of Shabanov, at least for one night he added more to that makeshift fourth line with Cal Ritchie (also facing his former team, albeit with less history) and Casey Cizikas than Max Tsyplakov has.

This one could’ve gone either way a few times. The Isles weren’t in pole position by any means, but it hurt that they gave up the equalizer and then the go-ahead (ultimately game winner) in a 1:19 span early in the second. It could’ve gotten worse there, but for a few big Ilya Sorokin stops.

Up Next

Two games left in this Carmen Sandiego road trip, Tuesday in Dallas and Thursday in Detroit.